KKANGAROO RAT
A reading, worksheet
and word search on
the adaptations of the
kangaroo rat.
BACKGROUND
Students will:
Students should become familiar with
the many interesting survival strategies
of the well-adapted desert kangaroo
rat. Students will also be introduced to
the concept of niche; an important term
in studying ecology. Niche refers to the
“role” or “job” of an animal or plant
within its habitat. Among other things,
niche includes an animal’s position on
the food chain.

GETTING STARTED
OBJECTIVES

become familiar
with many interesting survival strategies of the welladapted desert kangaroo rat.
understand the concept of niche. VOCABULARY
adaptation
herbivore
mammal
niche
nocturnal
predator
prey
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
Make a “Desert Day and Night Wheel”
to illustrate how several desert animals
adapt to their environment by being
nocturnal. The pattern and instructions
are found in Ranger Rick’s NatureScope: Discovering Deserts.
Make a copy of Handouts 7 and 7A for
each student.
ACTIVITY
1) Ask students to read Kangaroo Rat.
2) Discuss the reading, introducing
new vocabulary.
3) Discuss the life history of a kangaroo rat. Ask students when they would
need to go the desert to see a kangaroo
rat. (night)
4) Pass out Handouts 7A and 7B and
have students fill-in the answers and
complete the word search.
5) Review the answers with the class.
ANSWER KEY TO KANGAROO
RAT QUESTIONS:
1) Rat
7) Owl
MATERIALS
2) Niche
8) ASDM
copy of Handouts
3) Habitat
9) Seed
7, 7A and 7B for each
4) Prey
student
5) Food
6) Desert
Desert Discovery Class ©2012, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
NAME______________________________ HANDOUT 7
Kangaroo Rat
The kangaroo rat is an amazing desert mammal. It is an herbivore and eats mostly dry seeds. It can live for years without drinking water! Its body gets all its water
from the food it eats. This is an important adaptation to life in its dry desert habitat. The kangaroo rat has many other adaptations that help it keep water in its
body. It has pouches on the side of its mouth that it fills with seeds to carry to its
burrow. Unlike a hamster, the pouches are not inside its mouth. Instead, the kangaroo rat’s pouches are on the outside of its cheeks. It can put the seeds in them
without opening its mouth and losing water from its breath. Also, a kangaroo rat
never sweats.
During the day, the kangaroo rat sleeps in an underground burrow where it is cool
and moist. It plugs the entrance to its burrow to seal out heat and keep moisture inside. It is a nocturnal animal. The kangaroo rat comes out at night when it is cool
to look for food. Foxes, coyotes, owls and bobcats are also out at night looking for
prey, so the kangaroo rat needs to be on guard. Its large dark eyes are set on the
sides of its head. This helps it see predators coming from many directions. (Touch
your eyes. They are on the front of your head, so you can’t see as far behind you as
does a kangaroo rat. It’s a good thing you don’t have to look out for predators!)
Being prey for predators is part of the kangaroo rat’s niche.
The kangaroo rat is important to desert plant life. Often its pouches are so stuffed
with seeds that they fall out as it hops back to its burrow. These dropped seeds will
grow after the rains. Being a desert gardener is another important part of the kangaroo rat’s niche.
Would you like to see a kangaroo rat asleep in its burrow? When you visit the Desert Museum, look
carefully and you may be able to find one in the Life Underground Exhibit.
Desert Discovery Class ©2012, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
NAME______________________________ HANDOUT 7 A
KANGAROO RAT PUZZLE
Fill in the answers and complete the word search
1. The Kangaroo ______ is nocturnal.
2. Spreading seeds as it gathers them and being food for other animals is all part
of its ______________.
3. A burrow under a creosote bush and the nearby desert is all part of its
___________________.
4. Sometimes the kangaroo rat is food or ____________ for other animals.
5. A predator kills other animals for its _____________.
6. The kangaroo rat is well adapted for ____________ survival.
7. A flying predator of the kangaroo rat is an _______________.
8. The letters that stand for Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum are
__________.
9. The kangaroo rat is a ____________ eater. It is an herbivore.
Desert Discovery Class ©2012, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Handout 7B
Desert Discovery Class ©2012, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum